His Butler, Cultivating
by Rogue Riley 666
Summary: A soul like no other...one so carefully cultivated that it tastes as though the forbidden fruit was made only for him...a taste that Sebastian doesn't want to let go of so easily. Please review!
1. Prologue: His Butler, Devouring

_**Note:** Hello everyone! I am here with my first uploaded fic ever, as well as my first Kuroshitsuji fic. I don't often write fanfictions, but this idea popped in my head and I had to write it out. ^.^; The Prologue is VERY short, since this is just an opening to the actual story. I am not quite sure how long this story will be yet, though. :-/ I am writing this for fun, and because I want to find my muse, but please understand that I DO have a few books I am working on and have deadlines for the publishers. So I am very busy. *nod* However, this does not mean I will forget my fics. :) If I decide that I don't want to write one, or no longer have a muse, I will finish the fic with a nice, final chapter that cleanly sums everything up. :-) I won't leave anyone hanging! _

_This prologue is written in Sebastian's point of view, but there may be a few chapters in the POV of others. Unsure yet. :P Still experimenting here! (Again, this installation is VERY short, but vital to the rest of the story!)  
_

_If you like it, please review! They will probably help with my muse! :D That is always wonderful! ^^ If you have any plot ideas, feel free to throw them in there too. I may or may not take them, but at least the ideas help. :-)_

_This story does not yet have a beta, and a writer so many of their own mistakes. D: So I am open to anyone qualified who is willing to be my beta! ^^  
_

_Enjoy!_

_**Note 2:** This fic disregards the second season. It will be a little slow to develop at some points, but that is done on purpose. I believe in the "calm before the storm", so please bare with me. ^^  
_

_**Disclaimer:** Kuroshitsuji and all related characters and rights belong to Toboso Yana, and all licensing companies._

**Prologue: That Butler, Devouring**

It was delicious, captivating. It was a delectable taste that he had never before had the honor of savoring, not until this moment. It was as though he were tasting the death of the Demon King himself. Like a delight that had always looked and smelled so tempting, but he was never able to reach out and _take_ it. Yes...this was that soul he had waited hundreds, thousands, of years for. It was here, at last, in his hands.

As he lightly, but hungrily, took those small intakes of breath, he felt the cold, wispy essence of his prey seep into his mouth, gliding deliciously across his tongue and sliding smoothly down his throat. It was refreshing, energizing, and most definitely fulfilling; as though all of the sins a human could commit were being guided into his belly with the ghostly feel of a breezy mist. It was quite a _sinful _feeling.

He found it difficult to let go of the small form that had nearly slumped into his long arms, his slender fingers gripping that chin a little tighter. The demon never wanted to let his prey go, and he will not.

Sebastian pulled his lips away from the boy's, his crimson eyes glancing briefly at the blue hue beginning to spread from those small and swollen lips to the rest of his lifeless body. There was still soul left, and if he played his cards right, tended the field correctly, Sebastian could enjoy this meal for a long time to come.

That was the thing about souls; they could be replenished. So long as a little bit remains, it could redevelop itself over time and with careful aid. Like the seed of a flower; plant it, care for it, and that seed would grow into something spectacular.

As would this soul once again.

Under his care, Ciel Phantomhive would become the meal he needed whenever he needed it, and it would be for as long as he desired. So long as Sebastian remembered to maintain control of himself and not devour the entire soul, the boy would last as long as he, himself, did.

_My, what a wonderful thought. _ Not many humans had entertained the demon the way this one did. From the moment he first laid eyes on the boy, he had looked fragile and weak and hopeless, though at the time, Sebastian knew that the human child held promise. There was something in those desperate, blue eyes, something that screamed from the fire burning inside those depths. It had been mouth watering at the time, and the demon was delighted to find that his prey would always carry that fire in his eyes. Even though the contract marred only one.

Leaning back on his haunches, the demon carefully placed his hands around the boy, lifting his small, frail human body into his arms and standing tall. There would be no turning back from this, but the demon knew that there would be no other soul that would satisfy him this way. Not anymore. Not after that little taste.

A taste of the forbidden apple that God must have tried to hide, but the demon was much too smart and too observant to not find it. A chuckle left the demon's lips, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips, the tips of his fangs glinting slightly in the moonlight.

"My Lord, it seems you have missed your bath."


	2. His Butler, Too Hot

_**Author's note: **Here is the first chapter! It is quite short, but I noticed that if I maintain shorter chapters, I can keep focus more and keep more muse. My BL novel has VERY long chapters, and it is quite easy to set it aside. I think for this fanfic, please expect some shorter chapters instead of chapters that are around 5,000-20,000 words long. **  
**_

_Keep in mind, that this fic is **rated M for a reason**. It will not be all sunshine and rainbows, and it will have suggestive, adult themes in it. This is intended to be quite dark. Sebastian is a demon, and therefore will behave and think like one. _

_Whether or not there will be "love" between him and Ciel, I am unsure. But there will be smut at some point. Whether it is a lemon or lime, I dunno. ^^ Just have to wait an see, eh? ^.~ However, this fic will contain death, rape, murder, attempted murder, hints at rape/sexual assault, psychotic mind games, demon Sebastian, and probably a gruesome end for someone. _

_There will be hints and references to the manga in this fic._

_**Disclaimer:** Kuroshitsuji and all related characters are the property of Yana Toboso and all licensing companies and their parties involved. I do not own this, nor do I make money from it. This fanfiction has been written for the pleasure of writing and capturing my muse._

**Chapter I:****  
**

**His Butler, Too Hot**

The study was hot, too hot in this early summer heat, and Ciel found himself with his upper body sprawled out halfway onto his desk just to feel the cool surface of the wood against his pale, but red-tinged, skin. He had to repress a groan as the breeze from the open window cast a momentary relief into the room.

For the past three days, a scorching heat had spread itself across England, and there was no escape from the terror of the sun's light. It was almost as though the Sun was attempting to boil and burn everything that lived. Even the ladies were tempted to opt out of their restricting undergarments and inappropriately wear their outer layers in hopes that they would not die in their own gowns. At least, that was what Ciel had heard come from his Aunt Francis yesterday during afternoon tea.

This entire week held promise of torture. And hopefully, as everyone hoped, this torture would not last too long. He could not remember when the last time this sort of heat had pervaded the British Isles, and certainly not for this long of a time period. Three days already, and the main part of summer was not even here yet.

There was a slight creak as the main door to his study opened, and the young earl heard Sebastian's carefully paced footsteps as they tapped lightly across his floor. They came to a stop at the foot of the desk, just in front of him, and there was an accompanying _clink_, _clink_ of china next to his red, sweaty face. The first thought that went through his head was that that tea had better be cold.

"Young Master," Sebastian's voice, though calm and collected, was slightly higher pitched than normal, indicating that the demon was (politely) demanding his attention, "Your skin has turned the color of the roses in the garden. I should feel worried that perhaps this heat has not been doing well for your health these days," a slight pause as Ciel heard the pouring of liquid into china and the _clink_ as the tea cup was set onto the small plate, "So I was thinking, Young Master, that maybe it would be best for you to enjoy a cool bath and some cold tea. At least enough to rid of some of your redness."

There certainly was not a question in that tone, and Ciel had the distinct impression that his butler was not going to take 'no' for an answer. Not that the earl felt that a cold bath was a bad idea, it sounded incredibly wonderful. He was merely having a bout of rebelliousness with Sebastian's self-imposed authority. Or, was it authority at all, and it was just the hot weather messing with him? It was quite possible that the demon was just doing his duty as a butler.

Then again, that demon _did_ have to make sure that nothing happened to his meal. Just doing a _job_ indeed.

"Do as you will, just make sure that the bloody water is not freezing. I would like to feel my limbs when I enter the bath." No room for argument was left, and the earl finally lifted his head off his desk. Sweat dripped down his forehead and into his face, wet hair matted sloppily onto his sticky skin. There was no eye patch, since earlier the boy had thrown it off somewhere in a fit of heated frustration. Being half blinded had not helped calm him down with the rising temperature of the morning.

Gods. It was only morning. It was only morning and he was already looking as though he had stepped out of a murky lake. It was utterly disgusting, and certainly not becoming.

"'Bloody' water, my lord? I would certainly hope that the water not be 'bloody'."

Ciel eyed Sebastian warily, who was looking back at him with a curious expression on his lovely face. His lovely. _sweat-less_. face. In fact, everything about the demon screamed "perfect" or "comfortable" or "_not hot_".

An eyebrow twitched, a vein rising on his temple, and the earl made move to stand, swaying slightly. It was possible he had become dehydrated. He leaned over his desk, both hands slamming down onto the surface.

He addressed the perfectly kept demon with anger and irritation, "How is it that you have absolutely nothing out of place! Your hair is nicely kept! Your skin is fresh and clean! You have no sweat dripping off you nor do you have any appearance of slight discomfort! Do you not feel this bloody heat?"

There was no immediate response from the demon as the young earl panted from his maintained position, but instead, he moved slightly to the side, head tilting to the left and eyes blinking. That body, Ciel briefly noted with disdain that he was also still wearing long sleeves and a jacket, seemed to sway elegantly and masterfully towards the side of his desk, coming at last to stand just off to his left.

"My lord, I mean no disrespect, but what sort of butler would I be should I not be able to follow proper uniform protocol?" Sebastian placed a hand in front of his chest, where his heart _should_ be, and his expression was twisted into one of absolute confusion and possibly a little bit of feigned hurt, "And you should either sit down and drink your nicely prepared tea before the heat takes you down or you should allow me to escort you safely to the washroom for a cold bath." He raised from his bowed position, motioning to the tea still sitting on the desk, "Today's prepared tea is _mugicha_, a nice barley tea from Japan. It is best served cold in the summer, and hot in the winter. Quite refreshing, I hear."

The gall of that demon.

"Sebastian."

"Yes, my lord?"

"My bath."

"Of course, my lord." Sebastian bowed, hair falling forward over his forehead, and then turned swiftly, and easily, on his heels towards the door, removing himself from the study.

Perhaps the heat had finally gotten to him, forcing him to be even more of a dreadful company than he already was. Ciel shook his head, flinging a little bit of sweat, and made to move towards the door as well. It would be best to just be ready to hop into cool water rather than wait for it to be prepared and then get stripped. It would take quite a bit of time to do that, he wanted to feel something cool _now_.

Another breeze swept mercifully into the hot room.

()()()()()()()()

Sebastian listened with little interest to the noises around the household, locating each of the servants and paying close attention to the young master. With that huff and the quick shuffling that followed him out the study door, it seemed that the boy had decided that he would rather wash immediately than wait, and Sebastian found it a tad bit amusing.

The whole situation was amusing. The heat had been quite intense these past few days, and it had everyone irritable and upset. Even Meyrin had snapped at him yesterday when he caught her after she tripped over her feet. Sebastian had paid it no real mind, but he had to keep himself in check so as to not smirk at any of the suffering humans. Their bodies were so weak and incapable, and they were so easily influenced by outside forces.

Humans were so strange. They were incapable of withstanding natural occurrences. From heat to cold to natural disasters. Demons had never needed to worry about any of those things, even when they explored this realm in search of prey or they were here for some form of entertainment. Overall, demons were simply _able_. They were _able_ to survive through most things. That, and being immortal helped too.

With a chuckle, Sebastian turned and headed into the wash room, setting up the pail and bath and beginning to prepare for the young master.

Doing these jobs were not all that mundane nor were they useless to him. They allowed him time to think, to prepare, and to plan his next move. These little moments to himself, where he could be a demon, and where he would not have to worry about what his master may order him to do while he was internally 'busy'. These were moments where the demon allowed his thoughts to get away from himself, and he could fantasize about whatever he wanted. Including devouring his next meal. Maybe even _tasting_ the meal before actually _taking_ it. So many ways he could make his young master suffer, and the boy would not even remember it when he once again rejoined the world of the living. He would eternally be victim to whatever his demon wanted and however the demon wanted him...and Sebastian was quite content to decide how to next make the boy suffer.

It was work. It was survival.

Besides, it was not as though Ciel Phantomhive did not _enjoy_ the pain. He had even said it himself, told the demon to make it painful so as to etch the pain of his life into his soul. And who was the _demon_ to deny a delicious and tempting offer like that? It was more than Sebastian could have ever dreamed of, and not at all unpleasantly unexpected from his Ciel Phantomhive.

Three years since he last ate. Three years since the demon had devoured the earl's soul and made his decision to rebuild it to its original glory, to take it as often as he felt he wanted it. To taste it greedily.

Frankly, the three years had passed quite quickly, in the blink of an eye even, and he began to find little things and little jobs that he enjoyed doing to pass the time. Such as the collection of stray cats he had been taking care of in his quarters against his lovely, young master's orders. Maybe it really was not a good idea to potentially compromise his prey's health, but those lovely felines were so damn adorable. They were cunning, intelligent, and certainly nothing like the pets that they had in his Homeland. He wanted to take several back.

Then there was taking care of his little kitten currently standing outside the door. The kitten who certainly did not want to be hot any longer.

That suffering that the boy was enduring was quite beautiful.

"Sebastian, has it been prepared?"

Ah, the young master's voice was music to his ears. It was the prelude to a meal that he couldn't wait to taste again. It reminded the demon that there was something to live for, something to work for, and something to be had when the time was right. And with Ciel Phantomhive, it would never be the same song and dance all over again.

So often had he come across a human who had only wanted something mundane or petty. Many of them wanted money, fame, glory, petty revenge, sex, or a love they could not have. But this boy, this _just_ of a human boy, wanted revenge for something _vile_. This was not revenge for fraud or thievery. It was not revenge for the death or cheating of a spouse. But the revenge of an innocence stolen from a child.

There was nothing more beautiful than lost innocence. Nothing more delicious than the sin of what had been committed that special, fated day.

When Sebastian had set his crimson eyes on that boy, he knew immediately what had been done, and what was being offered. Like any demon, he simply reached out and took the opportunity presented to him. He stole the forbidden fruit from that cage, and slaughtered the competition for it. The blood he bathed in that night was the blood of humans who knew not what _true_ sin was. They had summoned him under the pretense he would serve them, help them or protect them. They had no idea that he had waited thousands of years for this opportunity to present itself.

How _could_ they have known? They were only humans after all.

"My Lord, the bath has been prepared." Sebastian stood up, rolled up his sleeves just above his elbows (he must have removed his jacket earlier, though having been lost in his thoughts Sebastian embarrassingly could not remember when he did, but he located it nearby on a stool in the corner), and waited for his young master to approach.

Such a beautiful meal to be had in only a little more time.

()()()()()()()()

Here it was, day four. Miserable day four. A miserable day that delivered a message with a Royal Crest. Make that an even more miserable day.

It had arrived a little earlier when Sebastian had left the letter to him before leaving to prepare lunch, and Ciel now stared with dread at the message.

There had been some disappearances happening in London these past several weeks, and the Queen wanted him to investigate an area on the outskirts near an abandoned farming property. Apparently the property had once been owned by immigrants from Ireland, and they had been quite protective of the property for four generations before the last one disappeared. There were no traces of the family. Except for their belongings and a freshly made meal, the house guest had woken to an empty property.

Now, it seemed that the Queen suspected that the disappearances may be related, since the first three of the new cases, four weeks ago, happened on the immediate neighboring properties.

"My Lord."

Ciel nearly jumped out of his skin, Sebastian's voice appearing just next to his right ear. The demon was leaned in, reading the letter from over his shoulder.

He should have been paying more attention. Damn. The blasted heat had him unaware of everything.

"My Lord, it seems we will be leaving the mansion for quite some time. I shall begin to make preparations and pack so we may set out this evening."

Leave it to the demon to do so much work in the middle of so much heat. It was incredibly frustrating and unrealistic that the young earl wanted to smite the bastard in all his perfect glory. Not even so much as a sweat. Not even so much as a bit of discomfort. The male was either a rock or a tree, though at least _trees_ seeped _sap_.

"Very well. Make haste." There really was no point in being stubborn, and Ciel really did not _feel_ like being stubborn at the moment. It was much too hot and much too unpleasant a week to feel anything except exhaustion and frustration. With as much sweat as he had been dripping these past four days, he was sure to have lost more weight on his already small body.

The butler shuffled his feet a moment, moving to stand in front of him and his desk. He bowed.

"Young Master, I will begin to prepare for departure, and we shall leave immediately. I feel it best that we leave after the sun sets, so as to avoid any unnecessary heat during travel. Should we leave soon enough, we should be able to make it before the sun rises again."

Ciel nodded his head, beads of salty water dripping from his matted hair, "Good. I will await you outside."

"But my Lord," Sebastian cocked his head, "should you not dress into travel clothing?"

A slender brow lifted slowly as the earl stared at his butler.

Sebastian must have caught his mood, for he chuckled lightly and nodded his own head.

"Understood. We shall leave once the preparations have been made."

There would be time for changing later. Right now, Ciel Phantomhive just wanted to get the hell out of this heated hell-hole and go somewhere cold. Very cold. Maybe the Arctic. On that last note, the boy looked up from his train of useless thinking.

"Grab my walking stick while you are at it, and a change of travel clothing." He watched as his butler bowed at the waist, hand coming to rest in front of his chest.

"Yes, my lord."

()()()()()()()

Thank you for reading!  
Please review!


	3. His Butler, Blackness

_**Author's note:** Alright, another very short chapter. I am quite disappointed in myself for it being so short, but the turn of events led to the shortness as a whole. I felt that adding Sebastian's point of view would be counterproductive to the end of the chapter itself, and over all it would not have worked out well with the developing plot. The action will be fast-paced, but the plot itself will (hopefully) develop slowly. This is horror/romance, so please do not forget this. :)_

_I may go back and edit this chapter, however..._

_**I NEED A BETA!** D: My editor is too busy with my novels to help me with my fics. _O_O''

_Please forgive me for the formatting! I am still trying to get used to uploading and editing on ffnet.  
_

* * *

_**Disclaimer:** Kuroshitsuji and all related characters are the sole property of Toboso Yana, and any and all companies who have licensed Kuroshitsuji._

_Italics:_ Flashbacks, thoughts, sound effects or emphasis. _  
_

* * *

**Chapter II**  
**His Butler, Crash and Burn**

The trip was a long one, but the night brought with it a subtle cool that the daylight had seemed to forgotten in its lack of forgiveness. Though there was less sound; no birds chirping or no soft treading of other animals in the woods, the young earl was incredibly grateful for the change of atmosphere. Being cooped up in the study, with the deadly heat, had began to take its toll on his small body, as well as his mental stability. Though loathe to admit it, Ciel had began to peacefully doze off before they even reached the halfway marker to the farm.

As he dozed, a strange image came into his relaxing thoughts, like a would-be dream that bordered between light sleep and a nap.

_Images of a man, one not unlike the appearance of his father came into his mind. An older him? Could be. But he would never age, not with the contract. An odd, black figure, one that glowed a pristine white hue from the shadows of a room that appeared to have once been sealed._

_"So long as you agree to this contract, you shall have your every desire." That voice, it was very sweet...too sweet._

_"But what is the contract, demon? What is it that you ask of, you Unholy Creature?"  
_

_A chuckle. A dark chuckle, but one that was almost inviting...almost.  
_

_"I ask for something as simple as a soul."  
_

_Something moved, slithered out of the darkness before creeping back where it once was. Ciel could not even glimpse it.  
_

_"My soul?" A responding, nervous laugh from the man that looked like him.  
_

_"No-."  
_

_He did not hear the rest of it, he did not understand any more of it, and images swirled beneath his twitching eyelids, an itching sensation snaking its way across Sebastian's contract.  
_

Unfortunately, no matter how happy he was to have it, sleep was not to become the young earl as the carriage, quite suddenly, bumped over something rather roughly, yanking him viciously from his light doze and off the seat into the floor.

Ciel was momentarily confused, and he had to shake himself out of a stupor before he could form coherent sentences.

"Oi! Sebastian!" He called out from his startled spot on the bench, eyes lightly wide with annoyed curiosity. There was no response from the butler, but instead, he heard the horses begin to whinny and fuss about, just before the carriage took a sharp jerk in an awkward direction.

It toppled, leaping up again with another jump. Ciel was thrown forward from his seat, head hitting the wall on the opposite side. He reached his hands out to steady himself, but when the car pulled once more to the side (the right probably), it fell, thrashing the earl around and landing hard on his back.

He tossed and turned with the car, seeming to forever rotate in odd angles. The noise was loud and great; the crashing and crunching and slamming of metal against ground and tree and rock and whatever else was in its path. The horses themselves sounded to be screaming, either humanly or inhumanly, Ciel could not tell, nor did he care. It was deafening and terrifying, causing the boy to let out a frightened scream.

And then, as abruptly as it started, it stopped, everything coming to a blessed halt .

There was no more fussing from the horses. No more terrifying sounds coming from the spinning carriage. There was nothing. Absolutely nothing.

A foreboding silence filled the air around him, and for a moment, nothing seemed to move. Nothing seemed to exist.

He didn't even hear Sebastian's voice, which possibly would have been muffled, from somewhere outside the earl tried to move, but cringed when a sharp pain shot up his spine and into his skull. The carriage seemed to feel like it was rocking, but maybe that was just dizziness.

He had hit his head.

It was wet.

_Blood?_

What the hell had happened? One moment everything was fine, and the next the horses were spooked. Damn horses. He knew he should have had Sebastian spend more time training them.

Sebastian. Where was he? Why wasn't he there fast enough? There was an accident and Sebastian was not even there to help him? He was _bleeding_! There was blood _everywhere!_

The earl reached a hand out, though in which direction, he was unsure. The toppling over of the carriage seemed to block any of the moonlight that should have been able to come into the cabin, and the curtains had the other side covered. It was completely black inside the carriage car.

But that couldn't be right. Naturally, the curtains would drape downwards if the car was over on its side, allowing for some form of light to show through so he could see _something_.

But a New Moon produced no light. Maybe it was a New Moon tonight. Yes. That _had_ to be it. That was the only logical explanation, right?

With a cringe, Ciel lifted an arm to push himself upwards, and felt the carriage roof beneath his fingers.

Ah. So that was it. There would be no light because he was not facing a window. Of course. He had it wrong.

The boy let out a relieved chuckle and sat up, feeling a sudden wave of nausea wash through him. He groaned. The carriage was still rocking. Was he that dizzy?

Sebastian? Where was he?

Ciel ran a shaky hand through his hair. It was sopping. It was wet. It was warm. He tried to not scream, but instead yanked his wet hand away roughly.

He jerked in surprise as the carriage moved again with his movement, the entire car leaning further with a loud, protesting groan, and tilting the surprised boy backwards. It seemed to slightly turn, before gravity had Ciel's stomach plopping sickeningly around his insides.

"**_Sebastian_**!"

A quick pain. A sickening crunch.

And blackness was happily welcomed.

* * *

()()()()()()()()

_"My Lord, please remember to place your walking stick in the holster on the left, so as to not stab yourself in the case of an accident."_

_Ciel rolled his eyes, stepping into the carriage with a huff. As if that would happen with you as the driver, demon. He thought haughtily to himself, seating himself properly onto the left side of the car closest to the far window. He glanced briefly at the holster for the walking stick, and rolled his eyes again. He would hold it himself. _

_"My Lord, please do not forget to sit up straight while moving. It could cause unintended drowsiness and you could possibly snap your spine should we have an accident."_

_This time, the eye roll was automatic, and he let his head fall back softly against the wall. The cool air was refreshing in contrast with the dreadful heat from earlier, and Ciel was hoping that the next day will bring some semblance of mercy. _

_Then again, probably not. _

_"Sebastian, do make sure to drive carefully, and we shall not have to worry ourselves with an accident. I trust you know what you are doing."_

_The demon bowed, smiling slightly as he placed a gloved hand gently on the door. _

_"Of course, young master. I would never risk your life should it not be beneficial to me." Sebastian chuckled, a slight, cat-like grin ghosting his pale, perfect features. _

_"Do not attempt to pull that card with me, demon." Ciel turned his eyes towards Sebastian, the contract glowing brightly. _

_It tingled a bit as the demon gave an amused chuckle.  
_

_"But, My Lord," he began in that perfect, beautiful drawl of his, "your life does mean everything to me. If something should happen to you, then I will be at a loss, and it is I that will lose more than you in the end."  
_

_How could that damned demon be so _graceful_ with these types of words? How could he be so casual and happy with... _

_Ciel's thoughts caught themselves as he remembered, because he was dimwitted enough in the first place to so much as _momentarily _forget, that this was, indeed, a _demon_._

_Ciel's brows raised as he let out a scoff and folded his arms. "Let's just get on with this." He said defiantly, turning away to look out the window next to him. _

_"Yes, My Lord."_

___He never saw Sebastian's face._  


* * *

()()()()()()()()

_"Yes, My Lord." He bowed, closing the car door with a soft click. Internally, the demon seethed, unhappy with his prey's disobedience when it came to his safety in the car. He would have preferred if the boy would have just listened to him and put the damn walking stick into the holster, but instead, the boy wanted to prove himself as his 'master' and do as he wished.  
_

_Even if that wish potentially knocked him out of a second meal.  
_

_Oh, that would piss him off, and it took a great deal to piss him off. And he did not use 'piss' all that often either.  
_

_Sebastian went through a hell of a decision, and he refused to allow that decision to be compromised in any way. Ciel Phantomhive was his soul to devour as often as he wanted, and Ciel Phantomhive would continue to be his soul to devour until he grew bored with it.  
_

_In the end, Sebastian knew he could never grow tired, or bored, with the taste of the Phantomhive child's soul. It was rich, it was dark, and it was sinfully delicious. That soul was a gift sent to him by sheer luck and he refused to let anything take away his gift. Like a child who opened a new present only to find it belonged to his sibling, but he wanted to keep it anyway.  
_

_But the difference was, Ciel Phantomhive truly belonged to him. It was only a matter of time before the demon found a way to enjoy other parts of that soul...other parts of Ciel Phantomhive's treasures. Oh the delights he had to look forward to.  
_

_Sebastian walked casually around the carriage and to the front, double checking the horses' reins and hopping onto the driver's seat gracefully and with ease.  
_

_This trip was going to be one hell of an opportunity; an entire who-knows-how-long alone with his beautiful...tasty...young master...  
_

Yes, My Lord, you shall know yet what it means to truly be _devoured_ by a demon.

* * *

()()()()()()()()

_Drip..._

_Drip...  
_

_Drip...  
_

Eyes slowly peeped open. Or were they open? It was dark. So dark. There was nothing around or near him. Or was there something jabbing into his side?

His side? He had a side? He could not feel anything. Did he really exist? Where was this place? This blackness that felt as though it seeped into his very soul and attempted to guide him into the abyss.

His soul. _Soul_. It belonged to something didn't it? _Belonged_. There was something missing. Missing in his mind. What was it? Why did he feel...

_Empty? What is wrong with me? _

His thoughts were meaningless, he didn't fully understand them. It was as though his mind were making a jumble of movements and thoughts and sounds and colors without truly establishing them as anything. He was confused, so confused. What was confusing? What was _this_?

A name. There was a name. But what was it? It was easy. But how was it easy? What was easy again?

Yes. A _name._ _A single name._

But he could not remember.

Maybe it was _his_ name he was trying to remember? What was it again?

_Drip..._

_Drip..  
_

_Drip.  
_

"S-someone..." He tried to reach a hand outward, but he could not get his mind or body to function properly, "p-please..." Begging? Wasn't that not something he was loathe to do? It did not feel right. It felt perverted to his train of confused thoughts.

He coughed. Something wet slid down the corners of his mouth. It was sticky. Was it warm? It felt hot. Gods, his body was so cold.

The cold. The darkness. Cold and dark. So cold. Maybe he was shivering. So dark. Maybe he was blind.

The pain. The pain was cold. The pain was dark. Everything was black. What _happened_?

Again, he tried to get his body to comply, his mind to properly and coherently work, but the only thing he could do was let out a strangled gurgle and a shudder. Nothing would move, nothing would work.

He was trapped. He was alone. The darkness, it was getting to him. The pain.

A numbness? Numb? What _was_ numb? A numb pain. Yes, that had to have been it. But a new sensation? A tingle? His side. His side hurt. More pain. A throbbing in his head. It throbbed. That hurt too. Was that what hurt? Where was the hurt?

The boy's body began to tremble. The cold beginning to be too much for his obviously small form.

Cold. But was it not hot earlier? Yes. The heat. There had certainly been heat before now. What happened to it? Was it dark? It was dark. There was nothing but dark.

_Drip..._

_Drip..  
_

Where was that coming from? Something wet was on him. What was it? It was warm.

_Sticky_.

_Wet_.

What was it?

_Drip..._

The sound created a quiet, sickening _splurt_, and the boy's nose curled slightly in a cringe. A disgusting feeling in his gut told him he best not know. But his mind already drew the image.

Something terrible had just happened. Something dreadful. A turn of events that will change..._something_.

A pain in his side. Fingers twitched, trying to search for the cause. Something there. It was hard and stiff. He could feel it inside him. He couldn't touch it. Couldn't reach it. Couldn't grab it.

He felt light. Heavy. It was something that was both light and heavy. Crying? Was he crying? His face was wet. His eyes burned. Blood dripped down the sides of his lips, down his chin, his neck. Pain was everywhere. A numb pain. But pain.

A feeling seemed to be leaving him. Everything wanted to leave him. He thought it did. What was this? What?

"S-S-"

A name on the tip of his tongue. But he could not remember it.

* * *

()()()()()()()()()

_**Thank you all for reading!**_

_**Please review!**_


	4. His Butler, Nameless

_**Author's Note:** HEY! Here is another update! :) This chapter was incredibly fun to write, and I hope everyone enjoys it! Also! This chapter has HIGH manga references in it! :D_

_**SPOILER ALERT HERE! THIS CHAPTER HAS HIGH REFERENCES TO THE MORE RECENT CHAPTERS IN THE MANGA! **_

_I want to thank my new beta, nostalgickisses for helping out with this chapter! :)_

_I also want to thank everyone who has reviewed! The reviews really help keep me going!_

_**Warnings:**There are some hints to rape, abuse, and blood in this chapter! Also some mild language!_

_**Disclaimer:** Kuroshitsuji and all related characters are the sole property of Yana Toboso and any licensing companies and partners._

* * *

**Chapter III**

**His Butler, Nameless**

* * *

He awoke again, or was he really awake? He seemed to be slipping in and out of consciousness, or was he just dead, and he was stuck sitting between two worlds?

But the pain, so much blinding pain that the mere thought of the pain caused waves of it to sear through his body with an unforgiving and unrelenting mercy. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes, but for some reason, they refused to fall. Something held them back. Himself? Was he one to cry tears? Who was he again? What caused this pain that blinded him? Or was he already blind? Somewhere just dark?

The darkness. It was consuming, almost as though it were becoming a part of him. He was 'Darkness' wasn't he?

The boy, having felt certain parts under pain earlier he was quite certain he was able to define and end any slight confusion that he was definitely male, was unsure how long exactly he lay there, or sitting, hoping someone would find him.

He did not want to be alone. He felt vulnerable. Naked. Raped by this pain and darkness and Hell.

Hell? Was he in Hell? Hell seemed familiar. It was familiar.

A name he had forgotten.

"S-se.." What was it? He knew it. He knew it.

That was all he could try to force out of that name, all he could push past his trembling, weak lips. He knew that name...it was just _there_.

Slipping...again he was slipping...

_Drip..._

_Drip.._

_Drip._

* * *

()()()()()()()

_"I want something sweet," he arrogantly wanted to leave no room for the butler to argue, though he knew the damn bastard would anyway as he folded his arms and leaned back in his study chair._

_"Young master, dinner has yet to be prepared, you will spoil your meal should you eat dessert first." That bloody tone was as reprimanding as ever, as though he could not trust the boy to handle himself. There also seemed to be a hint of exasperation with that slightly raised pitched the butler managed._

_The boy smirked inwardly at his minor victory._

_"Just do it," he waved a hand in the air, " that's an-" the eye that was not hidden by a black eye patch visibly widened as he watched his butler come to his own side of the study desk, placing a hand across his cheek in an almost romantic gesture, "what the bloody hell are you doing?"_

_The butler, clad in black, glancing with crimson-slitted eyes, merely smirked with an innocence that __was_ nearly borderline sadism. "I have no idea, what you are talking about my Lord." 

_The boy could feel his butler's breath blow lightly across his lips, and with an uncharacteristic attempt to lean closer, the boy's pale skin flushed with a lovely shade of rouge._

_"Indeed, young master," swiftly the butler pulled his gloved hand away, still grinning with suspiciously cat-like lips, "You have already had one too many sweets." _

_The boy could see the tips of those lovely, white fangs peek out from between his butler's lips, and there was something about them that warned him of impending danger...that he had to get away..._

_But a part of him, and he knew it (however reluctantly), wanted to get closer to those razor sharp tools that the butler obviously used to devour his prey. The young lord tugged away with reluctant defiance, glaring at the male._

_"Don't touch me. And S-," a slight pause, "don't ever do that again-"_

* * *

()()()()()()()

The dream faded, or was it a dream? It was a simple slide of consciousness that slipped away, almost allowing the boy in pain to touch it.

That name...it was _there_, but it was heavily guarded. By what? Something was off.

_Drip..._

_Drip.._

More sounds of something wet dripping filled his ears, and he wondered briefly where it came from.

He wanted to roll on his side, to do anything to get out of this obviously uncomfortable position, but there was nothing he could do to prevent himself from being uncomfortable. The pain, something terrible, was too much for anything to be done.

But slowly, and he could tell, the pain was beginning to ebb into a cool numbness, one that nearly tingled as it progressed. A light, almost subtle pull tugged at his mind and body, a heavy weight pushing him back into it.

Was this Death? Was this Death coming to finally free him from this Hell?

Again, he could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness, and he happily welcomed the release.

_Drip..._

* * *

()()()()()()()

_"Ciiieeellll!" _

_Oh gods. That wail. That wail from that forbiddingly innocent girl who always plagued him with her incessant babbling and always forgiving eyes. Such a sweet girl. He had no business being in her presence. It tainted her._

_But instead of pushing her away, protecting her from the filth like he should, he looked at her and raised a brow expectantly as she tossed herself onto his person, wrapping thin, dainty arms around his waist and squeezing._

_"Oh Ciel! I've missed you! I have not seen you since that horrible incident on that ship! I am so glad you are safe! I have been so worried! When Mother told me you had returned safely, I was so happy, I cried!" _

_Ciel could feel a headache coming on, and he raised a hand to attempt to ease it before it got too bad. _

_"Lizzy, please contain yourself a little more," he said, trying to keep his tone light for her, "it is not becoming of a Lady such as you." Ciel tried to attempt a smile, and whatever he had managed, had done its job because Elizabeth smiled and pulled away, blushing before placing her arms behind her back and rocking slightly. _

_She nodded. "I do hope you enjoy dinner tonight! S- even offered to help with the cake!"_

_Cake? Well, then._

_"I don't know how to cook very well, but I thought you would like it since we had not seen each other in a while, and-" _

_He decided to cut her off, holding up a hand to stop her, "Very well. I will enjoy-"_

* * *

_()()()()()()()_

Ciel...so his name was Ciel...He was a Lord...He was _Ciel_...

With this new revelation, something came to him. It was something powerful, powerful enough to filter through his pain and bring about a light at the end of the black tunnel. It was still black, black everywhere, but something in his mind seemed to _click_.

Something...and accident. There had been one...

A name he still could not remember...

He must remember.

These dreams...these dreams were memories that were coming to him, memories he had forgotten.

_Drip..._

_Drip.._

_Drip._

With little difficulty, Ciel made sure his eyes were closed, attempting to relax enough to lull himself back into a slumber. Maybe if he continued to dream, he would find _that_ name.

The one he must remember.

Sleep came quickly with the soft sound of dripping.

* * *

()()()()()()()

_There was fear. Nothing but all consuming fear. It was in him, it was part of him. So much blood. Disgusting. He wanted to expel the contents of his bowels onto the ground around him. _

_Concrete ground. Or was it marble? _

_Cloaks. The cloaked figures did this. They ruined him. Tainted him. Destroyed him. They took him from his cage and did disgusting things to him. Defiled his body and etched their mark into his skin. The pain. The blood. The filth.  
_

_They were going to kill them. _

_Wait. They did, didn't they? He was dying now. He was already dead.  
_

Sacrifice_._

_Something there, in the darkness, something thick with evil. A voice. _That _voice. That _nameless_ voice.  
_

_A shadow manifested itself, becoming solid as though it was always there. As though he saw everything.  
_

_Crimson eyes searched for something before they landed on his tiny, shuddering and filthy form. It spoke. There was a beautiful darkness in that tone.  
_

_"You have given such a large sacrifice," _

_Ciel stared, wide eyed at the monster._

_"Now, you have the choice to contract a demon. You have already paid the Price to cross the River."_

_An offer? What was he offering? What was this monster? This..._demon_? Contract?  
_

_A sacrifice. He was a sacrifice. A demon's sacrifice. He had the chance. He could do anything now. He could get anything._

_But what did he want? Was it worth all of this? _

_Certainly, it must be. It must have been for the foul creatures who had defiled him so, who had perverted his body and shredded him apart. _

_"I-"_

_Revenge. He wanted them to feel what it was like...what it was like to have vile hands touching them, to have blood gush from their bodies as though their lives were meaningless to the one who ended them. As though they were nothing._

_They were nothing._

_"I-"_

_But he...he could be _something_. His parents gone. Everything he once loved and knew, crushed by the murders and the lies and the deceit. _

_"I want...power,"_

_Screaming, shouting from all directions, but the broken noble could hear nothing except his thoughts. This was it. This was his fate.  
_

_His family. Dead. They were dead. Their fate.  
_

_But he could bring them to justice. And only he alone._

_"The power to take revenge on the ones who did this to us!" Tears gathered in his eyes, his dull, lifeless eyes at last seeing a light...seeing a redemption..._

_"Demon! I will make a contract with you!"_

_A sure, confident aura seemed to seep into the atmosphere, drowning out the negativity and grime from the demon felt pleased, and it was obvious in the wicked, fanged grin it gave him in response. He wasted no time in business.?_

Good. _To waste time meant to lose time gaining revenge._

_"The more visible the seal, the stronger the contract," came the voice of that demon, of his nameless savior, "So...where shall it be?"_

_He didn't care. The demon needed to shut the hell up and give him what he wanted. He would not be ridiculed any longer. He would be strong. He would be Earl Ciel Phantomhive, worthy of the Phantomhive name, and honor the memory of his parents._

_"Anywhere is fine," he wanted it, he _needed _it, "I want power no one else has! I want power stronger than anyone!"_

_For a moment, everything appeared to have stopped. Everything was still. _

_And then, as quickly as it had come, the monster was there, long, slender fingers covering his face...carefully prodding his right eye._

_"Such a greedy boy in such a tiny body," There was no disgust in that lovely, evil tone of his...only...was it..._adoration_? "Well then, the contract shall be forever etched into this lovely, large eye of yours...A blue eye filled with so much _despair_."_

_Suddenly, pain tore through him, one that could not be compared to even the worst of pain. An intense, white hot burn, as though a fire had been lit in his blue eye, seared beneath the touch of the demon. It spread, branching out from his skull into his very blood stream, through his body, and seemingly circulating itself somewhere inside him...somewhere deep and unattainable.  
_

_What had been done to him? _

___His soul was claimed. The contract had been made._

_No. There was no mistake. This would never be a mistake. He would never regret this._

_He did the only thing he could. He screamed. _

* * *

_()()()()()()()()_

_"I have a relative at the Royal Hospital. I want to head there first thing."  
_

_There was no response from the demon...his butler. He merely stood with this aloof look on his perfect face. His demon turned away from him, his black tail coat flapping lightly with the swirl. _

_Turning away? _

_He did not want the demon to run from him. He was vile, disgusting, but he did not want something as foul as a demon to see him as unworthy. To see him as dirty. __Ciel quickly grabbed that coat...maybe it would be comforting. _  


_It was._

_There would never be any going back for him now, nor did he actually want to go back. What had been done had been done, and Ciel Phantomhive would forever stand by his decision.  
_

_But he did not want his decision to feel _he_ had made a mistake. For a _demon_ to feel that way...was unthinkable._

_"Wait...demon..." No...that can't be right. He certainly could not go around calling him just 'demon', "What is it that I call you?"_

_A smile, but one that did not seem to quite reach his crimson eyes. A smile that was merely practiced, not recognized. It was the smile of a creature who had no experience with emotions and feeling. A creature made up of a specific set of rules. This demon would be his weapon.  
_

_"I am whatever my master wishes. That is my name." _

_A name...something special. Something that meant everything in this strange, forbidden and sinful relationship. A name._

_A name for the nameless demon butler. _

_"Well then...from now on, your name will be-"_

* * *

_()()()()()()()()_

"_**Sebastian!**_" Ciel cried out, forcing himself to sit straight with a jerk upwards. He had faced worse pain than this before, and he would not succumb to something like this now. This would not be his end.

"My Lord?"

There! That voice! It was there in the darkness! Ciel reached a bloodied hand out, trying to grasp onto something, but it met with...

Something warm. And soft.

"S-Sebastian?" He felt around, fingers fumbling frantically with his butler's clothes, his hair, feeling his face.

He was there. His Sebastian was truly there, and it was not a lie.

"My Lord? Are you quite alright? You have been having fits of nightmares!"

Ciel froze immediately, eyes going wide with shock. _What? Nightmares? But it all felt so real._He took a moment to scan himself, checking everything with his hands and feeling for any wounds, and realized after a moment that there was no more pain. No blood

It was gone. As though it had never happened.

How strange...how unnatural. They felt so real.

Ciel collected himself, confused and shaken, before he finally broke the silence. "Where are we? It is dark."

A slight movement from above suggested that the demon had shook or nodded his head. There was a rustle of fabric.

"Yes, about that. I am afraid we had a little accident along the way to the farm, and we are stuck here until daylight. It is storming outside, and the horses have run off. You must have fainted when you bumped your head on the wall," Sebastian's voice trailed off, becoming strained as though it were trying to hold back some sort of emotion, "Since when you had first called out my name, you have been having a series of terrifying fits. It had me concerned. You would not respond to anything I said or did."

_Concerned_. Of course there would be nothing more to it. He was a demon, concerned for his meal and working solely on his aesthetics.

Ciel took a deep, shaky breath, wiping beads of sweat off his forehead. Perhaps the heat had taken more of a toll on his body than he originally thought. Maybe this was surely his road to becoming mad.

He leaned his head against Sebastian's chest, taking a deep breath to try and calm his frantic mind and frazzled nerves. It was refreshing to be back with Sebastian, and he would revel in this moment while he could. At least until daylight.

Outside, Ciel could hear the crashing of thunder, and lightning flashes briefly lit the inside of the turned carriage. Everything seemed slightly more normal, and the calming sounds of dripping rain eased what remained of his tense body.

He was content to be held in this moment. It was a very, relaxing embrace. Sebastian's unique musk filled his nostrils, becoming the very symbol of safety and comfort.

_A demon's embrace._ He thought ironically to himself. A _demon_ was his angel, his savior, his redemption. It was not a holy creature of _God_ that saved and protected and served him, but a very nasty monster of the Underworld. Of Hell.

"Forgive me, Sebastian, for whatever just happened."

The long pause in the darkness was slightly unnerving, and Ciel rarely felt unnerved by Sebastian. There was no response, not for a long while, and the boy had started into slumber once more before he finally heard Sebastian respond.

"No, My Lord. Forgive _me_ for not protecting you well enough."

* * *

()()()()()()()()

**Thank you for reading!**

**Please review! :D**


	5. His Butler, Untrustworthy

_**Author Note: Hey, hey! I'm here with a new chapter! Things are going to start getting down and serious plot-wise here soon! I've got plans for this baby! :)  
**_

_**This is a raw of the chapter, so there may be a few mistakes.  
**_

**_Disclaimer: Kuroshitsuji and all related characters belong to Yana Toboso, and any licensing companies who own rights to Kuroshitsuji or Kuroshitsuji II._  
**

* * *

**Chapter IV  
****His Butler, Untrustworthy**

* * *

His young master had yet to give him an order.

It had been three days since the accident, and Sebastian had not received any order from the boy yet. It almost seemed as if Ciel Phantomhive was _avoiding_ him.

From time to time, Sebastian would catch the boy giving him small glances, uncovered eye slightly narrowed with suspicion.

Whatever the boy was _suspicious _about was beyond him, and the longer it went on, the more irritated it had the demon. He was becoming angry that his charge was suspicious about something when it came to him, when the damn boy knew very well that he could trust him.

_Trust a demon_? Sebastian scoffed inwardly at himself. Who on _Earth_ would do that? _Trust_ a demon. The notion was laughable. Demons could not be trusted, could not be liked. They could only be cursed and hated and feared.

Yet, the boy had _trusted _him the whole time. So why the sudden lack of trust?

"My Lord," Sebastian quipped up when he had had enough, leaning over the freshly clean table to lessen the distance between him and his charge, "when do you intend to start working on this case? It has been three days, surely we should begin to-"

"I know very well how long it has been, demon. Do not serve to remind me, I am not that forgetful."

Well then. If _that_ tone of voice was not clipped or scathing, the demon was not sure what was. There was definitely something on his young master's mind.

"My Lord-"

"Your lips still move."

With shock, Sebastian's crimson eyes widened momentarily before he slowly stood straight again, clipping his lips tightly together to refrain from retorting in an uncharacteristic display of anger towards the boy.

How dare that brat speak to him in such a manner? Speak to him as though _he_ had personally caused some sort of discontent within the boy. Certainly, he had taken the boy's soul once, but that was three years ago, and the damn kid should not even have any recollection! All of those memories of that night, those events surrounding and leading to that night, were gone; the demon had personally seen to it that they were devoured with the soul.

Memories. Memories added flavor to the soul. The blacker the memories, the more despair that tainted them, the more mouthwatering the soul. And Ciel Phantomhive certainly had a mouthwatering soul that night.

Or else he certainly wouldn't be _here_, with this _brat_, taking this loathsome treatment of his person.

How much longer until he could devour the boy again?

Silently, he was counting down the days, the evenings and the mornings. He was sincerely looking forward to having another meal again soon. But it was beginning to become difficult to maintain the boy. He was becoming much more independent, and much more intolerant.

Could it be possible that Ciel Phantomhive _suspected_ Sebastian already? Could it be possible that he _suspected_ that his demon, whom he was foolish enough to place _trust _in, had already taken a _bite_ out of him?

Could it be that the demon had underestimated his prey, and now his prey was beginning to see that his beloved Sebastian had other plans for him?

No. Impossible.

Quickly, Sebastian tossed the thoughts from his head, bowing to his master and then turning to leave. He would wait a little longer. After this case, Ciel's soul should be ready to be devoured again, so long as he played his own hand correctly.

The journey did not matter.

So long as he got his desired outcome.

"Sebastian," Ciel's voice halted him, but he did not turn to look, "tomorrow we will begin to search for clues."

Of course the boy would postpone this case. The boy had been doing that more and more lately. Maybe it was just the heat that humans could not physically stand.

Sebastian chose to nod instead of turning to reply. He feared that if he were to lay his eyes on the boy now, he would give in to his sudden desire to snap his neck. It would be an easy break, and one that would not break his part of the new contract.

"Sebastian,"

The demon wanted to kill him.

"You have not replied."

Fine. "You have not given me sufficient enough of a question, Young Master, therefore I did not feel a need to give you any semblance of an answer."

"Watch your tone, demon."

My _tone_? Sebastian thought viciously to himself as he felt the corner of his right eye twitch. The boy was beginning to cross a line that Sebastian had never wanted crossed, that Sebastian had never dreamed that the boy would even cross.

Ciel Phantomhive thought that he had all the power in this little contract, and the demon did not like it. It made the boy cocky and too confident.

Though, it _did_ help that the boy was willing to surrender his soul without a fight, but sometimes the demon enjoyed a good struggle. Sometimes it was nice to watch as his prey fell too confident in their demon, and then the look on their faces when they realize that they have been "betrayed" by him.

Maybe Ciel Phantomhive's confidence is not such a bad thing. Maybe Sebastian could come to use it against the boy at some point.

He turned quickly and bowed, still refusing to look the boy in the face. Maybe it was just spite. Maybe it was just his sudden, hard to resist bloodlust. Either way, it would not end well for neither of them if the demon acted on his bloodlust. "Forgive me." He raised again, straightening his back and quickly leaving the little farmhouse kitchen.

It was quite obvious to Sebastian that the boy really did not understand that _he_ was the weak human enlisting the help of a demon. Not that the _demon_ was the real servant here. He, Sebastian, was in control at all times. He was the one pulling strings, watching and guiding the boy and shaping him into the ultimate meal. It was the demon's job to make sure that the boy got what he wanted and needed in the worst way possible in order to assure that the end was a delicious one.

As if Ciel Phantomhive could begin to even _comprehend_ that Sebastian had already decided how this game was going to end.

And Ciel Phantomhive, should he being to comprehend it or understand it or even _guess_ it, the demon was going to have a very good time making sure that his prey never forgot it.

His feet automatically carried him to the room he was using, and he opened the door calmly and casually.

Rationally speaking, Sebastian was thinking irrationally. Understandably speaking, Sebastian had every right to be pissed with his prey's behavior.

With his prey being so sure that _he_ was the one in charge. _Not_ the powerful _demon_.

Did he understand how incredibly weak he was? Did he not understand that he was at the demon's mercy, no matter the conditions of the contract made?

_Apparently not_. Sebastian sighed, closing the door behind him gently and sitting down on the rickety bed. He doubted that the boy would ever really understand, and tomorrow, they began work.

It was quite interesting what had happened three days ago in the woods. That accident was _quite _unexpected, and Sebastian was having a difficult time coping with the reality of what had happened. His prey had tossed and turned and screamed, and he was unable to do anything to help. He hated feeling helpless, and he hated being unable to protect what was rightfully _his_.

It had been a long time since he had had such a close call, and something deep inside of the demon _shifted_ a little bit.

There was something incredibly _off_ about the entire situation, and the demon was beginning to grow protective of his little meal. He had come close to losing Ciel, and not through human weakness. Should the boy show signs of insanity, Sebastian would immediately call off the contract and just kill him. He had no use for a soul that could not function, especially if he planned on keeping it forever.

He had been worried for a while that Ciel had lost his memories, those precious memories that Sebastian had so carefully cultivated, and that the boy had been damaged in some way.

_Talk about a demon's nightmare. I guess they _can _happen after all._

A frown spread across his beautiful face and his eyebrows drew into a crease. He would have to be very careful indeed from now on. It would do no good to lose this. He had no idea how long it would be before he found the next meal, and even that one would most likely not even _compare_ to Ciel Phantomhive.

_Weak is a monster who carries his greed with him.  
Lush is a creature who seeks blood before food._

_Woe is the demon who falls in love with a dish._

He recited a piece of the code to himself, rolling his eyes and scoffing as he leaned back.

An itch on the back of his hand alerted him to his prey's movements.

Ciel was moving around the downstairs hall, going through random belongings that had been abandoned by the missing.

_Now_ what trouble was he getting himself into?

The demon gave a haughty sigh as he reluctantly stood, straightening out his uniform and making sure his hair was perfect before leaving the bedroom and hunting for his young master.

* * *

()()()()()()()

Ciel was grateful for the silence. Three days had gone by since the incident, and it still left him utterly lost and confused. He hated being confused. He hated being lost. He left that behind years ago when he had first contracted the demon. And now, here he was again, lost and confused.

He was not entirely certain he understood what had happened before, during and after that accident. Sebastian had told him the details later, but there were some bits of information that seemed off kilter, or did not fit in with his recollection. Certainly, he should not entirely believe his recollection since he had hallucinated the entire time, but something in the back of his mind _itched_ and he could not scratch it.

There had to be something Sebastian was leaving out, or at least something that had to do with Sebastian that did not add up.

What the Hell was going on?

Those nightmares seemed incredibly real. The pain, the emotions, the physical and mental feelings that came with all that had happened. He had forgotten his own and Sebastian's name, and he also had certainly fallen asleep several times.

None of those times he remembered Sebastian _being there_ at all. None of those times included Sebastian's presence, but the _lack_ of Sebastian's presence.

Yet, the demon claimed to have been there the entire time. The demon claimed to have simply _missed_ the broken trees in the road and the ditch to the side.

How the hell could a _demon_, who was perfect at _everything_, _miss_ something like that?

It did not add up, and Ciel could not bring himself to trust the demon nor any of the words the demon spoke. Not now. Not until he had more answers.

Ciel was hoping he could find answers here, among the junk that was left behind. If the family disappeared, maybe the incident could be linked to it. Maybe he could find a reason to trust his demon again.

But that was the number one rule about demons. You could not trust them. They had a purpose, and anything with a purpose or with a motive could not be trusted.

The only thing you could trust, was yourself.

_How cliché_. The young earl thought to himself with light mocking, shaking his head as he rummaged through a box of old books. There was nothing useful in here, except a collection of old text papers that looked to be dated from around the eleventh century or earlier. It was not bound as though in a book, but they were neatly and carefully collected between the pages of a larger text book.

They certainly looked old, with the fading print and the paper color degrading with age. The edges crumbled easily, and Ciel made sure to be extra careful with them.

_Hm. How strange. Such old texts…_

He observed the writing carefully, being easy and gentle with the papers as his eyes carefully scanned the pages. Horrifying drawings were plastered on several, obviously representing sacrifices of sorts. They were gruesome, they were vile, and they were absolutely disgusting and bile some. He brushed a finger along the lines of one of the scenes, recognizing the ritual.

This had happened to him…He had been here.

Dirt. _Filth_.

He was still here, existing. Defiling people. Making people filthy and dirty and spoiled. He tainted the innocent while trying to keep them pure. He destroyed lives while trying to save them.

Ciel Phantomhive was a monster.

A monster who used another monster to kill monsters.

Trapped, in a never-ending cycle of death and blood.

He wanted to retch as his stomach twisted in an uncomfortable manner. He became dizzy, lightheaded.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over him, and for a moment he wondered if he was suddenly going to be attacked by one of the creatures in the drawings, and he screamed as he jumped back, scrambling to cower up against the wall. When he looked up, he was relieved (though he would never admit it) to see it was only Sebastian.

Such an irrational, stupid thought. He acted childishly. Again.

In anger, Ciel threw the papers at the demon. He felt mocked. Humiliated. Ridiculed.

"Damn you!" he shouted, still shaking, "You could have frightened me into my grave!"

There was no immediate response, except for the slow, raising of thin, black eyebrows. Ciel had to wonder what exactly had Sebastian tied up in a knot. Was it his earlier behaviour? Was it the fact that Ciel no longer found he could trust the demon or any word that left from between those lovely lips, despite the fact that the contract held his demon incapable of lying? It definitely had to be that.

"Oh? That would be unfortunate."

That answer was somehow not comforting. Not in the way it was said. It was too simple an answer, too lighthearted to be true, and lacked the concern that the demon generally expressed towards him.

There was no 'I apologize, My Lord,' or 'Forgive me, My Lord'. No joke. No remark. Simply just, '_unfortunate_' in a flat, monotone. Something was definitely wrong.

Ciel was sure that he should not trust this demon now.

"Young master?" The demon asked as he bent down to pick up some of the old papers, carefully touching them and scanning them with curious, red eyes, "is there a reason that you are looking at old scriptures on demon summonings?" His tone was light, weightless. It was almost breathy.

So _that _was what they were. Demon summoning scriptures.

What the Hell were these people into? Was it a demon that forced their disappearance?

Something clicked in his mind, and Ciel did something he often did not do…Ciel _hoped_.

"Sebastian…." he trailed off, his eyes landing on the old papers in the demon's hand, "I think I found something." He glanced at his fingers and then back to Sebastian.

"Obviously."

A silence fell between them, an awkward kind of silence. Neither of them seemed to have wanted to make an attempt to break it.

For what felt like hours rather than moments, Ciel and Sebastian remained as they were, not moving except for the breathing and the blinking. Ciel was certain that Sebastian could hear his heart beating quickly.

A clue. Something that may possibly be linked to getting his revenge. Something that would bring him closer to his end.

It was there, between the palm of a demon. It was reachable, it was attainable. His redemption was close, wasn't it? He could at last bring honor to his family name, and regain what was stolen from him.

But would revenge regain his honor? Would revenge eliminate the filth and vile from his body?

The demon, _Sebastian_, possibly held the answers in this very moment.

"Young Master," at last, the silence was broken, "what are your orders?"

Orders. He wanted orders. Of course. Ciel could give him orders. It was what he did.

"Sebastian," the earl started, running a shaking hand through his mussed hair, "translate those documents for me. Translate them and tell me exactly what they say. I want nothing left out. That," he finished with finality, with certainty, "is your order."

The demon's eyes, for the tiniest of moments, appeared to flash a bright crimson before dimming curiously. He bowed at the waist, still holding the documents.

"Yes. My Lord."

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()()()()()()()

_Such an interesting development… _Sebastian mused as he towered over the ancient scrolls in his bedroom. He had not expected his young master to actually find something _this_ valuable. These scrolls were very old, written when cults had been most interested in demon summoning and contracting. These described in specific and exact detail how to summon a demon, what demon to summon for what purpose and who they were summoning. These scripts explained and documented the very intricate process of sacrifice and sin.

There was even a scroll that had documented a demon devouring a soul.

Oh yes. He remembered that time. Not well, but he remembered.

The demon laughed darkly, though quietly. He had been there when the humans had watched, when the coven had summoned him and demanded to watch him take his meal merely for the sake of _recording _it.

That time was nothing to truly remember. It was merely just a time when humans were desperate to find a place for themselves among the powerful. A time when magic was the all-powerful and so important to many cultures. It had held the answers for those seeking.

It was a time when humans were stupid enough to summon demons just to see what it looked like for a soul to be devoured, particularly _him_. They should have known better, but human stupidity knew no bounds.

Humans were so cruel. So tasty when cruel. So _stupid_ when wanting to be cruel.

However, the demon did find himself surprised that someone had survived that incident long enough to _write_ about it.

He had killed them all, at least he thought he did. Apparently there was one who had survived. They had written this. They had written this for his lovely, little master to find and read for himself.

_Yes, My Lord, you will _very _much enjoy what _these _have to say. And I will enjoy the sight of your despair as you realize the true intentions of those summoning _me_._

Another dark chuckle escaped him, and he dimmed out the candles in the room to surround himself in the comfort of darkness.

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_**Thank you for reading!  
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